The Fire Department in the north of Cyprus has issued a statement reminding the public of the precautions needed to prevent fires. It urged anyone who spots smoke or flames to immediately call the 199 Fire Emergency Line, the 177 Forest Fire Line or the 155 Police Emergency Line.
The department stressed that cigarette butts should not be thrown on roadsides, in forests or on open land. It also warned that barbecue charcoal must not be dumped into rubbish bins or onto flammable materials unless it is fully extinguished.
Turning to household kitchens, the statement said grease building up in cooker hood filters should be cleaned every two months, or more often depending on how frequently the hood is used.
The department also highlighted electrical hazards, asking the public to report dangers involving transformer stations, electricity poles, wires that may touch each other and tree branches that could fall onto power lines to the 188 Electricity Fault Line. It advised against plugging several high-power appliances into a multi-socket adapter at the same time, recommending that such devices be connected directly to wall sockets, and warned against using damaged extension cables. Leaving high-power appliances running unattended could also cause fires, it said.
The statement further underlined the importance of keeping fire extinguishers in homes, workplaces and vehicles, and reminded motorists to have their vehicles serviced and their exhausts and tyres checked on time.
